Calling for a Ride Home
by chocolatequeen
Summary: When the dimension cannon finally lands Rose in the right universe, she decides to skip the hassle of trying to find the Doctor... and just call for him to come pick her up.


4\. things you said over the phone

Bird song was the first thing Rose noticed when she arrived at her newest destination, followed by the scent of tropical flowers carried on the sultry breeze. She slipped the dimension cannon into her pocket and scanned her surroundings, searching for any possible threat. When she didn't see any people or pending natural disaster, she turned her attention to discovering her location.

Her TARDIS key lay beneath her shirt, cool against her skin. So wherever she was, the Doctor wasn't nearby. However, she thought she felt the faintest hint of an electrical current buzzing along the key, and she tried not to hope too hard as she pulled her super phone out of her coat pocket.

She turned the phone on and took a deep breath before looking at the display. All the air went whooshing out of her lungs when she saw five bars, indicating excellent service, and the symbol for universal roaming.

 _So, right universe anyway… even if I'm not on the right planet._

Rose bit her lip and stared at the phone for a moment longer, her finger hovering over the key pad. Finally, need and hope won out over any possible concerns, and she pressed speed dial 1.

The phone rang five times before someone picked up. "Hello?"

Rose's throat closed when she heard his familiar voice. She moved her lips, trying to get words out, but none came.

"Is anyone there?"

"Doctor," she managed to croak.

"Yes, I'm the Doctor, but I already knew that. Who are you—and how did you get this number?"

Rose cleared her throat and tried again. "Doctor, it's me."

There was a long pause, and when he spoke next, the words were uttered slowly, in clear, distinct syllables. "If you think imitating her voice will make me weak and vulnerable to manipulation, you're wrong. Rose Tyler will always be my strength."

Tears were running down her face now, and Rose wiped them away impatiently. "Doctor, I promise—it's me. I'm home." She looked around at the alien planet. "Well, in our universe anyway."

"That's impossible."

Rose chuckled. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." He didn't laugh, didn't say anything, and after a moment, she continued, desperate for him to believe her. "I built this… device, this dimension cannon. I'm really here, Doctor."

"You can't be."

The whole conversation seemed familiar, and when Rose realised what it reminded her of, she smiled. "Then how could I remember this?" she asked, and his breathing hitched—whether at the tenderness in her voice or the memory her words evoked, she didn't know. "The very last words I ever said to you… trapped on that beach, oh, such a long time ago. I looked into your eyes, and I said just three words. I love you."

" _Rose._ "

The raw emotion in his voice started her crying again, but she managed to finish the exchange. "Hello."

In the TARDIS, the Doctor clutched the phone tightly enough to turn his knuckles white. It couldn't be possible, but he'd never told anyone about that day. For a brief moment, he considered the possibility that the Master had managed to pull it from his memories, and whoever was on the other end of the line was a former agent of his.

The encouraging hum of the TARDIS dismissed that concern and sent him flying into action. "Where are you? No, never mind," he amended before she could answer. "The TARDIS is tracking your phone. Just… just stay on the line, and we'll be there in a jiffy. Ooh, in a jiffy—now there's something I'm never going to say again. But just you wait, Rose Tyler—I'll be there before you know it."

Three words were burning on the tip of his tongue, but he refused to say them over the phone when he would be standing in front of Rose in less than ten minutes.

"I've got to drop the phone now, Rose, so I can fly the TARDIS. Keep the line live, all right?"

"Yeah, all right," she said breathlessly. "Hurry, Doctor. I've missed you."

 _Oh, I know_ , the Doctor thought as he carefully set the phone down, making sure he didn't disconnect the call. It had been 900 days since he'd last seen Rose Tyler, and every hour hurt as much or more than the ones that had already passed.

But now, anticipation hummed through his veins as the TARDIS helped him set a course for Rose's location. When he recognised the space-time coordinates, he raised an eyebrow at his ship.

"Barcelona," he murmured as he slid one last control into place. He was too excited about seeing Rose again to care about his ship's sudden smugness. Whatever part she'd played Rose's homecoming, he owed her.

He was already at the door when they landed, and as soon as the ship settled, he pushed the door open and stepped outside, his eyes immediately scanning the area for Rose. A blonde blur slammed into his chest before he even registered her approach.

Rose had her arms locked around his waist, and the Doctor clutched fistfuls of her blue leather jacket to hold her close. His nose was pressed against the top of her head, and a wave of dizziness passed over him when he caught her familiar scent.

Tears welled up in his eyes. "Rose," he whimpered, brushing his lips over the crown of her head. "Rose, you're _here_."

She laughed wetly, and he realised his shirt front was damp from her own tears. "Yeah, I told you—I'm never gonna leave you."

The Doctor pulled back just far enough to see her face—tear-stained with red and swollen eyes, and looking more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. He let go of her jacket and cradled her face between his hands, brushing her tears away with his thumbs.

"There's something I've wanted to tell you, and you don't know how glad I am that it's not my last chance to say it." Hope lit up Rose's eyes, and the realisation that she hadn't been certain he still cared nearly had him crying again. "Rose Tyler," he said, his voice rough with tears, "I love you."

A brilliant smile broke out on Rose's face, and then she surged up on her toes to capture his lips. The Doctor's sigh turned into a moan when she scraped her teeth over his lower lip. He felt her lips stretch into a smile, then she pulled back until she released his lip with a pop.

The Doctor looked down at the woman he loved, who had beaten the impossible to come back to him. "How long are you going to stay with me?"

She met his gaze steadily, just like she had the last time he'd asked the question. "Forever."

This time, no storm threatened on the horizon when she said the word. The Doctor didn't know how long their forever would last, but he did know that however long it was, it would be… fantastic.


End file.
